A Good Story?
by vez
Summary: What really makes a story great? This is a tribute to all who fell in battle....


                                                            A GOOD STORY?

The best stories are the ones that depict greatness. Usually, this greatness is seen in heroes. Of course the heroes featured prominently in all great stories are beings of great stature. Heroes are people of courage, virtue and valour. It is difficult indeed to define what makes one a hero yet it is undeniable that most heroes hail from noble families.

            Let us look to the history of middle earth, where heroes are rife. They are so famous, you would recognise them by title: elven prince of Mirkwood, heir to the throne of Gondor, eldest son to the Steward of Gondor. The list could go on and on…

            But the best stories don't always feature heroes of noble birth exclusively. There are always the "little people", the ordinary people with ordinary lives, just like us. The Hobbits are the embodiment of the term ordinary. They have been called so many things – _Halflings, periannath_ – it may not be complementary most of the time. I mean, by calling someone a Halfling, do you mean that he is half of a man?  They showed all or Middle Earth that size is not proportionate to ability of courage, for that matter. The little people of Shire had gained the respect of the Wise like Mithandir of the Istari and Lord Elrond of Imladris. Why else do you think he permitted four Hobbits to go on the Quest to destroy the One Ring? In the very end, the fate of Middle Earth rested upon the strength of one Frodo Baggis of Bag End and his Gardener, Samwise Gamgee – both hobbits, might I add. 

            Rest assured, gentle reader, the tale of the Nine Walkers is famous and great indeed. Some would even call it the greatest of all stories every told, even better than the tales sung by the Firstborn. What made this story reach new heights was the fact that the two Hobbits who essentially saved Middle Earth knew nothing of warfare or the use of weapons. They were neither wise nor possessed great magic. They were just… ordinary. It was a miracle that they managed to sneak into the black lands of Mordor and destroy the One Ring. 

            The best stories are the ones where the heroes overcome the most overwhelming odds. While the future may have seemed bleak at that juncture, these Heroes would never give up. Even if they wanted to, they would somehow find the inner strength to go on and fulfil their destiny and carry out their duty. That is how Sam managed to convince his master to go on. He told Frodo that they cannot give up because even after the darkest nights, there will always be a dawn. There _must_ be a dawn! 

            That is why the tale of the Nine Walkers is the greatest story in all of Middle Earth and will remain so for many Ages to come. The heroes are a mix of valiant heroes – both of ordinary and noble birth. They overcame temptation and a seemingly omnipotent adversary and emerged victorious. 

            The tale of the Nine Walkers will be remembered as history. However as the world changes, the world of Men will remember it as legend, then myth. When too many ages have passed, the tale will be seen as nothing more than a product of an overactive imagination. 

            The tale of the Nine Walkers is many things: a story about friendship, the fight between Good and Evil and so on. 

            But what truly makes is so well loved is the fact that despite overwhelming odds, evil lost and good triumphed. 

            In other words: A Happy Ending.

            All great stories have happy endings. But what of the ones that never get told? What of the story within a story? Who knew the individual stories of the Men and Elves that were sacrifices in the Battle of Helm's Deep or those in the Dead Marshes? So many died in the battle between good and evil – whether it be the War of The Ring or the Great Battle in the First Age. Many more will die in future wars, that much is known. For war is inevitable. 

             With the promise of war, there will always be a surplus of stories. The great stories will tell of heroes who survived the unsurvivable. Yet the individual stories of others who perished will never be told.

            Because the stories within the great story never end happily.

            And no one likes an unhappy ending. 

A/N: Well, I hoped you all liked it. I'm sorry if the comment that Sam made was inaccurate. I really can't remember what he said exactly. Anyways, if you liked the story, please review, if you don't, * shrug * 


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